Kits Fade Faster
by BlackShadowScythe
Summary: Kits in StarClan fade faster than the rest of their clanmates. The living have had so few memories of them after all. Nightkit and Mistkit have been in StarClan for moons, and as the last of the cats who'd known them leave their forest clanmates, they count the days before they finally vanish. But before they go, Nightkit has one last cat she wants to visit. Her younger brother...
1. Chapter 1

Nightkit stared out into the spindly pines, their branches covered with needles as sharp as a warrior's claws. Their trucks stretched high above, ending beyond her sight. All was quiet, without even a gust of wind in the air, but their limbs seemed to reach towards her all the same.

She scanned the wood chip and crumbly dirt-covered ground, searching for signs of the mossball she'd accidentally rolled into the undergrowth.

"Do you see it?" Mistkit whispered as she skidded down the hill to meet her. She took a glance at the trees before turning away from the forest. "On second thought, let's go back to the river and get a new one."

"And let the RiverClan apprentices push us in again?" Nightkit cried, her whiskers twitching at the thought of getting her pelt wet. "It'll be dark by the time Leopardfoot licks us dry!"

"Then go!" Mistkit insisted, giving her sister a push towards the trees.

Nightkit's eyes widened in fear as her muzzle nearly touched the bark on one of the trees. She let out a yelp before whirling around and running halfway back up the hill. Mistkit followed her, equally afraid of being alone beside the spooky trees.

"So what now?" she asked. Nightkit shrugged.

"Mistkit? Nightkit? Is that you?" came a muffed voice from the hilltop. The sisters looked up to see a pretty tortoiseshell dappled she-cat padding towards them. She was carrying a black squirrel in her mouth which she set down as the kits turned to greet her.

"Spottedleaf!" Mistkit mewed. "Our mossball rolled into those trees. Could you get it back?" Spottedleaf gazed into the pines before shaking her head.

"Not even ShadowClan warriors hunt in those trees," she murmured. She turned back to the kits and smiled. "Leopardfoot's been looking for you. It'll be sun-up soon, and we're still a good ways off from the camp." She nudged the squirrel towards them. "You can have it if you'd like, I can catch another."

"Really? Thanks!" Nightkit cried, her eyes glowing. She picked up the squirrel, which was nearly as big as herself, and puffed out her chest like a real warrior would. Spottedleaf laughed.

"Maybe I should carry it back for you."

The two kits followed the medicine cat back up the hill, both relieved to finally get away from the shadows of the forest, which, even as they walked away, seemed to grow which each passing moment.

Through she hadn't set a paw in the forest herself, Nightkit was surprised that even the warriors found the place frightening. They always seemed so courageous and strong, and big. It didn't seem anything would be able to hurt them.

The three made good time as they glided across the moonlit sky. Even though she'd lived in StarClan longer than she had in the forest, she still found the sky paths a bit odd at times. There was no distance, only places, and they way one would get to those places was a mixture of experience and luck. Despite this, very few ever really experienced much difficulty getting where they wanted to go.

Their camp was only one of many, and though there were no borders in StarClan, most cats preferred the parts of the forest most resembling their hunting grounds in the living world. In Nightkit's case, it was a clearing covered with light undergrowth and surrounded by oak trees.

She ran up to her mother, feeling safe with Leopardfoot's warm scent around her. Mistkit padded up beside her and gave her sister a playful bat before the two started wrestling on the ground beside their mother. Spottedleaf dropped the squirrel before laying down on a patch of grass next to the dark queen.

"How are things looking?" Leopardfoot asked. Nightkit perked up her ears to listen, pushing Mistkit's paws away from her muzzle.

For many sunrises now, the warriors of StarClan had spoken of war. She didn't really understand everything that was said, but Leopardfoot seemed extremely wrapped up in it. Three sunrises ago, she'd spent the entire day by the pools, staring to the water at the Clans below.

"It's not clear. Inevitably, many cats will join StarClan before the conflict has ended." Spottedleaf said. "But I'm confident they can pull through."

"What about Tigerclaw?" Nightkit interrupted. "When are we going to see him?"

Having been with them for less than a moon, her clanmates didn't have many memories of her, so she and Mistkit felt it every time one of them passed on. A few sunrises ago, they were both roused from sleep by a sensation. A stronger one than they're felt in many moons. Like when Leopardfoot, or their father had joined them.

"H-he's not going to be coming here," Leopardfoot muttered.

"Did he do something wrong?" she asked. Leopardfoot turned away, looking off into the distance with a sullen gaze. Nightkit flattened her eyes, worried she had angered her. She watched as Spottedleaf slid a paw towards the queen.

"Don't worry about it too much," Leopardfoot replied at last. "Wherever he is, I'm sure he's happy. And I'm sure he'll be glad you're thinking of him." Nightkit nodded, but she wasn't convinced.

The warriors weren't talking about her brother much as of late. It used to be, they would share bits of news with her and Mistkit, like when he caught his first mouse, or got his warrior name. But recently, though she hadn't noticed it right away, they'd kept quiet. She wondered what her brother had done. He'd seemed alright when they were in the nursery together.

"Nightkit?" Mistkit meowed. Nightkit turned to her sister who dragged the squirrel towards her. "Come on, have some. It's really good."

Nightkit crouched beside the creature's fur and took a small bite of its flesh. It was chewy and sweet, as prey in StarClan always was. Nightkit swallowed before purring in satisfaction. They both took a few more bites before, burying themselves in Leopardfoot's fur. Feeling warm and secure, she was quickly lured into a deep sleep.

[BC]...

Nightkit was woken by a sharp tugging on her ears. She opened her eyes to the first rays of sun over the trees. Mistkit's excitedly prodded at her sister's side, eyes wide as full moons.

"Come on!" she cried. "Everyone's gathering around the pits! Leopardfoot left a while ago! If we miss it, Mosskit will never let us hear the end of it!"

Nightkit quickly got to her feet and shook out her pelt. She followed her sister through the trees and into a field where the ground dipped into a valley in several places. Countless cats were gather in one of the ditches, all waiting patiently as they faced a vacant area in the center.

"Who is it?" Nightkit asked. "ThunderClan?" Mistkit shrugged.

"Seems like," she replied. "I recognize some of our clanmates near the center. Look, there's Bluestar!" Nightkit lifted her head to get a good view of the former ThunderClan leader.

"You don't think it's Mistyfoot, do you?" Nightkit squeaked. Mistkit shook her head.

"No way," she said. "I don't see Mosskit anyway, or Stonefur for that matter."

"It's Whitestorm, I hear," one of the warriors mumbled quietly. "One of ThunderClan's senior warriors."

"Whitestorm," Nightkit echoed. She turned to Mistkit. "Do you think there were this many cats here to greet us when we came to StarClan?"

"I don't really remember," Mistkit mumbled. "Probably not, we didn't know that many cats. But I wouldn't be surprised if all of StarClan were here."

Suddenly, Nightkit felt a hollow pulsing in her ears. Her vision began blurred for a moment as her ears naturally pricked up. When her sight cleared, she spotted a large white haired tom with tuft ears. Bluestar and a white she-cat with gray ears padded up to him.

"Is that Snowfur?" Mistkit mewed. Nightkit just nodded slowly, glancing at her sister who met her gaze with worry. "Yeah, I felt it too," she whispered.

"Now it's just the elders left," Nightkit murmured.

"And Goldenflower," Mistkit added. They watched as Bluestar and Snowfur welcome the white warrior and thanked him for serving his Clan for so many moons. Nightkit's paws twitching with anxiety as got up and slowed trekked away from the pits. Mistkit watched her leave and shot one more glance at the tom before following her.

"Don't be sad, Nightkit," she squeaked. "At least we'll always be together."

"Yeah." Nightkit smiled.

"Hey, after sunset, let's see if we can find Mosskit," Mistkit dropped into a lopsided crouch. "Those mice won't stand a chance!"

"If those mice were three-legged and deaf," Nightkit muttered. "We never catch anything."

"Well who knows?" Mistkit shrugged. "We might get lucky."


	2. Chapter 2

After moonhigh, they returned back to camp empty handed. It was never really about prey, more of the thrill, but Nightkit's mind had been elsewhere that night. She wondered how many moons left she'd have before she and Mistkit disappeared. She wished she could share her sister's carefree attitude.

Every warrior of StarClan eventually faded. The faint outlines of some of the most ancient warriors proved that. But kits faded especially quickly. After all, they'd shared less time with their clanmates, no cat would tell stories of their bravery in battle, or a particularly big piece of fresh kill they caught once. When everyone who'd known them joined StarClan, they'd disappear. She'd always known it would happen eventually, but now it seemed that, that time was nearer than ever.

"So what was it like?" Mosskit asked as Mistkit relayed the events of the night before.

"Dark and creepy." Mistkit shivered. "We'd never been there before, but Spottedleaf seemed to know it. She said that even ShadowClan cats are afraid to go there."

"Do you think it could be..." Mosskit started. "The Place of No Stars?"

"No way!" Mistkit insisted. "That's just a story!"

"Is not!" Mosskit protested. "Nettlebreeze told me so."

"Just my point." Mistkit nodded. "What do you think Nightkit?"

"I don't know," she replied, still half lost in thought. "Let's find out."

"What?! Are you mouse-brained?" Mistkit hissed softly. "I don't even think you can get back there! And even if you do how are you going to get out?"

"The N-no Star warriors will eat you whole," Mosskit stammered, her pelt visibly trembling.

"But there's someone there I have to see," Nightkit declared. Mistkit's ears drooped as the realization of who her sister was talking about came to her.

"You can't," she pleaded. "Leopardfoot won't let you leave camp again for moons!" Nightkit looked back and forth between her sister and her friend, both their expressions filled with horror and worry.

"Before I can't anymore, there's something I have to do," he murmured before turning tail and bursting through the undergrowth and out of camp.

She heard Mosskit and Mistkit run after her, but she just sped on faster, making her way through the forest, changing direction now and again in hopes of losing her pursuers. Her paws light with tireless energy, she almost felt like a WindClan cat.

"Nightkit? What are you doing out here? It's getting to be sunup."

"Patchpelt!" she mewed, quickly coming to a halt in front of the warrior. "I just wanted to hunt a bit more," she said, shifted her paws nervously. She hoped he wouldn't decide to carry her back to her mother. "I'm not tired yet. Please don't take me back to Leopardfoot." Patchpelt sighed.

"Alright, but be back before sunrise, okay?" Nightkit nodded excitedly. "I'll bring you a vole in the morning. I'd expect you to be in your nest by then."

"Right!" Nightkit chirped, running between his legs and onward through the forest.

"Don't go too far!" Patchpelt called after her, but she was already too far to hear.

Nightkit hurried through the forest, her heart pounding faster. If any of the stories she'd heard were true, the forest would be easier to find before sunrise, when the shadows of the forest and StarClan mingled so closely, they almost touched.

When she reached the pine forest, she slowed her pace. The moonlight of StarClan seemed to dissipate as soon as it reached the trees.

Hesitantly setting a paw over the tree line, she slipped into the shadows, thankful her dark fur made such good camouflage. After walking for a few tail lengths, she hopped over a small stream, pausing for a moment as new scents flowed through the air around her.

Ahead on the path, the pine needles seemed to turn brown further down until they disappeared all together as the tree trunks turned a sickly gray. On the ground, the grass thinned until only dirt remained and the stale breeze smelt of crowfood. Eventually the forest seemed to vanish into a heavy fog.

Nightkit shivered. The air around her had turned cold. She didn't like it. It reminded her of when she was alive. The few memories she had with her clanmates, she had always been tired and cold, but in StarClan she was always full, warm and happy. She wanted to stay longer. With Mistkit and Leopardfoot and Mosskit and everyone else. And her brother. She didn't know much about him, other than what the other warriors had told her.

She began backing away, before hardened her resolve. Emptying all hesitation from her mind, Nightkit shut her eyes and charged head first into the woods. If there was a chance she could meet her brother, she wouldn't run away.

She hadn't run for long before she slammed into something soft and furry. The force of her crash sent her sprawling onto the ground. Fortunately, she wasn't hurt and got to her feet almost immediately. She found herself surrounded by dead trees, their bare branches reaching so high they blocked out all light overhead.

The forest was deadly silent, and seemed drained of any color. Everything was an ugly shade of grey. The object she'd crashed into was a thick mess of dark brown pelt. As she started to back away, the owner of the pelt peered his head over his shoulder, spotting her. The tom's piercing amber eyes glared at her, disapprovingly.

"S-sorry," she whimpered, prepared to turned tail and run if the massive tabby came after her.

"What is a StarClan kit doing here?" the tabby asked. He got to his feet and Nightkit saw him at his full height.

She was used to being shorter than everyone else in StarClan, but even for her it was rare to see a cat so big. She flattened her ears in fear.

"I-I was just curious," she mewed. "I didn't mean to intrude. I'll leave right away!"

"You can stay if you like," the tom's voice boomed before laying back down, facing away from her.

Nightkit's ears perked. She felt a wave of relief wash over her at the tabby's words, though she could help but notice his voice sounding dreary and tired. He lay on the bare ground, tail twitching every once in a while, as if the life was slowly being drained out of him.

"Thank you," she mewed, dipping her head.

"But I don't recommend you come here again," he said. "This is no place for a kit."

"Well you seem nice enough," she chirped, pacing around him so she could see his face.

"Why are you here?" he asked again, his eyes narrowing.

"I'm looking for my brother," Nightkit said.

"You won't find him here," he replied solemnly. "Even our meeting was only by luck."

"I see lots of other cats in StarClan."

"This place is not like StarClan," the tom replied simply. "Here, all cats must walk alone." Nightkit cocked her head.

"Don't you get lonely?" she asked sincerely. "I know I would if I never got to see Mistkit." The tom gave a snort of contempt.

"What are you still doing here?" he muttered. "Didn't you come looking for someone? You look as if you're about to fall asleep, and I don't need kits in my fur."

"Right!" Nightkit chirped, springing to her feet. "His name is Tigerclaw, do you know him?" There was a long moment of silence as Nightkit watched the tom's flank slowly rise and fall.

"Vaguely," he muttered finally.

"Then can you take me to him?" Nightkit brightened, her tail swinging back and forth with excitement.

"I suppose Leopardfoot was the one who told you to come here," the dark tom said.

"You know Leopardfoot?" she mewed. Before he has a chance to respond, his ears perked and he tilted his head to one head, his eyes squinting towards the trees.

"ThunderClan?!" a voice rasped from the shadows. Nightkit peered over the tabby's tail to see a ragged tom with a kink in his tail pad up to them. The dark brown warrior seemed shocked to see him. He wrapped his tail around his hind leg, obscuring Nightkit in the process.

Nightkit twitched under his fur, but knew better than to make a sound. She didn't look up for fear of being spotted, but she could still hear clearly the brown tom's voice as he greeted his unexpected visitor.

"Brokenstar."


	3. Chapter 3

[I]Brokenstar?!

Nightkit's pelt shook as the name echoed in her ears. Stories of the notorious ShadowClan warrior had been whispered among StarClan since he'd been made leader. He was a kit killer and breaker of almost every rule in the warrior code. A cat Nightkit would have been glad never to meet. She buried her head into the dirt, praying that her new friend's tail would be enough to conceal her.

"Strange meeting you here," the brown tabby murmured, his voice soft, but unafraid. Though she could not understand it, Nightkit thought he almost seemed to welcome the ShadowClan cat's presence.

"Yes," Brokenstar replied. "I was under the impression that it would be impossible for two paths to cross."

"As was I." There was a moment of silence, and Nightkit heard the soft crunching of dirt, as the ShadowClan leader walked up to his acquaintance.

"I recognize that tone," he said. "You know something I don't. What is it, Tigerclaw?" Nightkit flinched, her fear of Brokenstar dissipating, as her mind suddenly filled with endless questions. Of course! How had she not realized it before?!

"It's Tigerstar, I think you'll find it," Tigerstar replied with an air of cocky pride.

"What?!" Brokenstar snarled.

"Who do you think took over after Nightstar?" Tigerstar said with a small purr of amusement at his predecessor's shock.

"Bah!" Brokenstar spat, his tail lashing violently against the ground. "Trust ThunderClan to stick their noses into every cat's business. If you're the kind of cat I should expect to meet here, I think I should prefer having the forest to myself."

"Well then I thank you for gifting me with your company," Tigerstar said, dipping his head mockingly as the bent tailed cat stalked off. "I always take pleasure in our little talks." Once Brokenstar was gone, Tigerstar waited a few moments before lifting his tail from Nightkit's face.

"You're Tigerstar?!" she cried, her pelt burning with confusion and shock.

"Yes," he replied, solemnly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she shrieked. "Mouse-brain!"

"As I remember, you were looking for TigerCLAW," he pointed out with a shrug. Nightkit was at a loss for words. "Besides, you never introduced yourself."

"Nightkit!" she mewed. "Why did you say you were the leader of ShadowClan?!"

"I had no reason to lie."

"You mean you were really the leader of ShadowClan?" Nightkit murmured, looking up at him with wide eyes. She couldn't help feel the slightest tinge of awe mixed with betrayal at the revelation.

"Is that wrong?" he asked, a soft, mocking curiosity filled his tone.

"Of course it is!" Nightkit protested. "If you're a ThunderClan cat, you have to be loyal. You can't just become the leader of another clan!"

"And why not?" Tigerstar questioned. "Don't all the clans live as one in StarClan?"

"Well, yes, but—"

"Then what difference does it make which clan I chose to be apart of in life?" he said. "ThunderClan was my birthclan, but not where I belonged. So I left."

"Then why are you here?" Tigerstar didn't replied right away. Nightkit wondered if he was keeping something from her, or if he just didn't know the answer.

Finally he said, "They were all too foolish to see what was good for them. I could have lead them to greatness, but change frightened them, so they rejected me."

"That doesn't seem fair," Nightkit whispered.

"There's very little about life that's fair," Tigerstar replied. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be here as you are." Nightkit looked down at herself in silence, which gave Tigerstar the chance to continue.

"I guess I was wrong about Leopardfoot sending you here," he added. "Why were you looking for me?"

"I wanted to see you. In StarClan no one would say much about you, so I wanted to see for myself what you were like... before I disappeared," she confessed. "And I wanted to ask you something."

"And what's that?"

Nightkit stared at her brother standing before her. He was big, and powerful. He had lived and trained and done everything she couldn't do. But now was her one chance. She straightened herself up and puffed out her chest.

"Teach me to fight!"

"They haven't taught you to pounce on moss in StarClan?" Tigerstar said, his brow raised in amusement. "What enemies could you possibly need to fight?"

"Mouse-brain," Nightkit's muttered. "I wasn't with ThunderClan long enough to learn to hunt and fight. I died before I could do anything for my clan. I can't change that, but if I'm going to disappear, I want to be a real warrior when it happens!"

"You said you wanted to see me before you disappeared," Tigerstar replied coolly. "So will warriors also, eventually disappear?"

"Yes. But that's—"

"I see. Come back here next sunset, we shall begin training then," he said. "Go now." Nightkit's nearly leapt out of her pelt, but she kept herself calm and only offered a small dip of the head.

"Thank you!"

As she turned her back on the foggy trees, her paws felt refreshed and she bounded uphill, out onto the moor. It already nearly sunrise when she made it back to camp. Leopardfoot still wasn't back and most of the other dens were empty.

Mosskit and Mistkit were sitting together, batting the squirrel tail from the night before with bored expressions. Both of them sprung to their feet as they spotted her approaching.

"You're back!" Mistkit cried. "I knew you weren't mouse-brained enough to go!"

"Bluestar and everyone else are still busy, but they should be back soon," Mosskit reported.

"I did go," Nightkit said. "Now I'm back."

"What?! How?" Mistkit exclaimed. "Was it really the Place of No Stars? Did you get lost?"

"Did you meet any dangerous warriors?" Mosskit asked. Nightkit nodded.

"Brokenstar," she whispered. Mosskit and Mistkit stared at her in silent shock.

"You're lying," Mistkit cried. "He would have eaten you in one bite!"

"Well he didn't!" Nightkit proclaimed. "Because—" She paused, wondering whether she should mention Tigerstar. Undoubtedly, she'd see him again, but if Mistkit thought so, it might make it harder for her to go.

"Because what?" Mistkit asked. Nightkit shrugged.

"He just didn't notice me I guess," she said.

Before Mistkit could ask any more questions, the body of a large rabbit was dropped in between the two of them. Nightkit looked up to see Leopardfoot standing next to her. The she-cat pulled her close and began cleaning her pelt furiously.

"You're all wet. Did the RiverClan apprentice push you in again?" she cried. "You have mud all over your paws!"

"A little mud never hurt anyone," Patchpelt assured her. He dropped a vole beside their rabbit before adding jokingly. "You've been here longer than I have, but you're still as tense as ever, Leopardfoot. As if the fate of all the Clans were on your shoulders."

"Are you suggesting we become kittypets in StarClan?" Leopardfoot bit back. Nightkit's ears twitched at the word.

Her father had been a kittypet. Leopardfoot always said it was the worst betrayal possible for a warrior. Pinestar didn't come to StarClan much, but even when he did, her mother would never allow her and Mistkit more than a few glances before her hisses chased him away. She had always told Nightkit that kittypets were fat and lazy, and depended on twolegs for everything. They were cowards who had never used their claws and teeth for battle or caught their own prey. Nightkit had been born a forest cat, but she could help seeing herself as one of those lazy tabbies.

Patchpelt let out a small chuckle before sighing. "As always, you exaggerate, dear sister," he mewed affectionately. "StarClan's role is to watch over the Clans. If we're too troubled by our own problems, how can we guide them in pulling through their's? Our duty now is not to ourselves, but all those who come after."


	4. Chapter 4

Tigerstar slunk back into the trees, leaving Darkstripe alone in the hollow, tailed wrapped around his hindpaws, cowering in fear at his new surroundings. It was far too much of a coincidence, he knew. There was something odd about the kit. That much was certain.

Perhaps it was the mere fact she was a cat of StarClan, but some of the influence of the forest seemed to lift in her presence. He knew it would have been impossible for him to have met Brokenstar otherwise. Whatever that power was, it seemed to linger on even after she'd left. He decided to would try to keep the whole thing to himself until he understood it fully.

That evening, Nightkit returned as per their arrangement. "Tigerstar!" she cried, bursting out of the brush and running up to him. Her tail trashed behind her as she leapt up and down excitedly.

"Is it sunset already?" her replied dryly. "It's impossible to tell around here."

"Almost, but I couldn't wait," Nightkit grinned. "So what are we going to do first?"

"We can start with a basic hunter's crouch," Tigerstar instructed, dropping into position to demonstrate. Raising his haunches, he felt his ears instinctively flatten, and suddenly he was transported back to the forests of ThunderClan, Darkpaw at his side, crouching awkwardly, scanning the undergrowth for prey.

He rose, half in a daze as Nightkit mimicked his posture. Tigerstar shot her a sideways glance, scrutinizing her pose before knocking her over with a causal sweep of his tail.

"You're unbalanced," he muttered. "Try again." They continued practicing till what Tigerstar guess was almost moonhigh before Nightkit sat up, and stretched out her claws.

"I'm tired," she complained. "My paws feel sore."

"Do you want to stop?"

"No!" she cried. "I mean, I don't want to quit. Just take a break for a while."

"Maybe you should return to StarClan for the rest of the night," Tigerstar suggested.

"Yeah," she yawned. "But I want to show you something first." She gestured for Tigerstar to follow before heading deeper into the forest. Tigerstar raised an eyebrow before going after her.

"What is it?" Nightkit walked up to a small muddy puddle in at the base of a tree. Tigerstar eyed it curiously. That was another thing he hadn't seen in the forest.

Nightkit put a paw in the water and then shook it. She stared into the water for a moment before frowning.

"Maybe it doesn't work here," she said. "The water isn't usually this dirty in StarClan."

"What are you doing?" Tigerstar asked. But before she could answer, something the water caught his eye. A very familiar flame-colored pelt.

Tigerstar brought his muzzle up to the water, watching as the kitty-warrior stalked through the forest. He felt the fur at the back of his neck start to bristle. While he was stuck here, his clan, his forest, was being ruled by a kittypet. He forced himself calm before speaking.

"How did you do that?" he asked.

"It's easy," Nightkit replied. "You just need water. But maybe only StarClan cats can do it," she pondered.

[I]You're wrong there.

He was sure if he could run into Darkstripe while Nightkit was away, that he'd be able to do whatever she had as well, just so long as her power still lingered in the trees.

For many nightfalls, and moons, this pattern of events continued. The two littermates would meet underneath the grey trees, and brother would tell sister tales of clan life and battles fought over a lifetime. Seeing as they were kin, Tigerstar couldn't help feel a small fondness for her. But he wouldn't have given her a moment of his time if she didn't capture his interest. Besides, having her around proved useful to him.

And when she was gone, he would take the opportunity to explore some the capabilities of the starry power she'd left behind. With it, he learned to cross paths with many warriors, some who he knew, and others who were unfamiliar to him. Through each encounter, he was careful to keep to the shadows, making sure he remained unseen, for if he appeared to others, it would bring up questions. He found it lasted about as long as her scent in the forest was fresh, which meant that by sunrise, it was gone.

One night, after Nightkit had returned to StarClan, he sat beside muddy pool and dipped nose foul smelling liquid, much like he'd once down when visiting the Moonstone. When he opened his eyes, he found himself back in the forest. He could smell the scent of the Twolegplace not far off, though neither the dens nor the Thunderpath were anywhere in sight.

He didn't have to walk far before he came to the place he'd been looking for. A small pile of severed tree trunks lay in a clearing with dead leaves covering the ground. From inside the musk scented den, he detected familiar scents. He approached with no hesitance, but quickly flew into a panic as he one of the scents appeared lost to his senses.

Tigerstar crashed into the den, his presence not even causing a single leaf to crush underfoot, and counted off each of its inhabitants. A pale furred she-cat and her kits. Two kits. The third was gone, this scent stale in the den. The she-cat twitched in her sleep, murmuring something under her breath. He shouldered through the den until he caught a single word.

"Tadpole." He narrowed his eyes, laying down on the den beside the she-cat, touching noses with her.

When he pulled away, he was back in the Dark Forest, the she-cat still sleeping beside him. Tigerstar rose and re-positioned himself a tail-length or so away. A few moments later, the she-cat's eyes opened and she looked around her at the gray trees. When she spotted Tigerstar she quickly rose to her feet, her eyes lighting up as she padded towards him.

"Tigerstar!" she cried. "Tadpole. Is he here? Is he with you?" Tigerstar blinked, somewhat startled.

He had visited her in dreams many times now, but this was the first time she had spoken to him. To her, it was always only just a dream, so she would most often simply walk into the forest and disappear.

"No, but he's safe," he replied finally. He was fairly certain of this. The kit would not go to StarClan, but the sky was home to many other hunting grounds.

"What do you mean?" Sasha asked. "Where is he?" Tigerstar lifted his muzzle. Nightkit's scent was starting to go stale in the air. He looked back at Sasha only to find she had vanished.

The rest of the day, he pondered what had happened. It wouldn't surprise him StarClan were trying snuff out his descendants just to anger him. But he wouldn't let them get the best of him. They might think they'd been rid of him. Out of sight, out of mind. But he wasn't finished quite yet.

He was watching now, and he'd make sure the remainder of his children were strong and prepared. They would get what they deserved, what he had deserved, and Nightkit was the key to his return.


	5. Chapter 5

"I don't think I'm getting any better," Nightkit sighed.

She got up from her crouch and shook her kitten fluff. Whenever she took a step, she felt and sounded like a three-legged badger take a romp around the woods. Tigerstar said nothing, but she could sense that he agreed with her.

"I'm too small and my paws aren't long and skinny like yours. I wish I could get older."

"Well you can't, so I we'll just have to figure out some other way." He looked around before picking her up by the scruff and placing her on the truck of one of the trees. Nightkit unsheathed her claws and clung to the bark in fear.

"What—"

"Climb," Tigerstar ordered. Nightkit looked down and then at the tree. As trees where, it wasn't too tall, especially compared to those in StarClan territory, but it still seemed sky-lengths high to her. She put one paw in front of the other and pulled herself up.

"How will this teach me to hunt?" she asked.

"If you can't sneak up on prey, you can at least corner them in the branches," he explained.

Nightkit blinked. That was clever. And it didn't sound too hard, as long as she could manage not to fall. It would be much easier back in StarClan, but she didn't want it to be easier. This forest was harsher, and so was the real forest. Here she lived just like her clanmates, she got tired and hurt and hungry. Whereas in StarClan, everything she did was only out of pleasure. Here, it was out of necessity.

Well, maybe not entirely. She'd felt hunger in the forest, but had never seen a single scrap of prey. She doubted any of the warriors there would die from not eating.

Nightkit hauled herself onto the first branch. Looking down the way she'd come with a little twinkle of pride.

"I did it!" she declared.

"Yes, and by now time the prey would be waiting for you at the top," Tigerstar grumbled. "Nevermind, it'll take you the rest of the night to get up there."

"Hey!" Nightkit's cried. She pouted, adding after a moment. "You really don't think I'll get any better?"

"I didn't say that. But the odds are against you, that's for sure," he replied. "You're not built for it. Or at least you wouldn't have been built for it for another 5 moons." As if to demonstrate his point. Tigerstar leapt up to her branch in a single bound.

"But you did it at least. That's at one step in the right direction." Nightkit smiled. "We'll have to figure out how to get you to work with your strengths."

"My strengths?"

"Something you can do, that others can't," he explained.

"Something a kit can do that a full warrior can't?" she murmured, puzzled at the seemingly nonsensical statement. Tigerstar nodded.

"Kits can be quite wiggly, for example. They are young, and are more flexible than warriors are."

"Great if I were a fish, I wiggle away," she muttered, sarcastically. Tigerstar raised an eyebrow.

"I wish Mistkit would come here with me," Nightkit sighed. "But she's too much of a scaredy-mouse," she said in a huff. "If I ask her she'll probably just tell Leopardfoot."

"How is Leopardfoot?" Tigerstar asked.

"She's okay. But lately, whenever Pinestar comes around, she always gets in a bad mood," she reflected.

"And what do you think of Pinestar?" Nightkit shrugged.

"He seems nice," Nightkit said. "But I haven't seen him too many times. Leopardfoot usually chases him off." She laughed. "What do you think of him?"

"That he's kittypet and a coward," Tigerstar declared. Nightkit nodded in agreement.

"That's exactly what Leopardfoot says," she murmured. "Then she says that she wished she'd never been mates with him to start with. Then I asked if that meant Mistkit and I wouldn't exist and she said that we still would because we're not like him at all."

"In that she's right," Tigerstar confirmed. "If you were like him, you wouldn't have come here."

"Why not?"

"He would have been too afraid to die," he replied, his eyes squinted in disdain. Nightkit looked down at herself for a moment, her paws suddenly feeling very weak.

"B-but I don't want to die either," she confessed. "T-that's why I came here."

"But you're not trying to escape death. You're making the most of your time. That's what makes you different from him." Nightkit blinked in gratitude as her ears perked a little. Tigerstar slid back down to the ground.

"Try it one more time, and we'll stop for the night."

[BC]...

Not long after Nightkit returned to her home in the stars did Tigerstar pick up on a powerful and rather rancid aroma. He followed the scent to a section of the forest where the trees were much denser and the fog was a thick clot, like smoky mud.

If there was someone else here, he couldn't tell precisely, the smell seemed to ride the fog and hit his senses from every direction at once.

"Interesting we should stumble across each other," a creaky and discrepant voice hissed.

"And who are you?" Tigerstar hollered. He whirled around as he detected movement from the edge of his vision. A tortoiseshell she-cat leapt down from branches and began stalking towards him.

She was smaller than Tigerstar, but her shoulders were well muscled and she moved with silent skill. She snaked up to him and stretched her neck till her nose was less than a shrew's length from Tigerstar's face. The she-cat glared at the ShadowClan leader with wide-eyed aggression mixed with passive curiosity.

"Have you lost your way?" she meowed. "Can you see the stars?"

"What if I could?" Tigerstar tried, curious to test her intentions. No sooner than the words had left his mouth did they she-cat spring forward, claws extended, nicking a bit of fur from Tigerstar's cheek, as the tom's split second reaction allowed him to evade the worst of the blow.

Tigerstar slid away beyond his attacker's reach before whirling around and approaching her from the back, running his claws along her spine. The tortoiseshell squirmed away and sat up several tail lengths away to lick her wounds. She looked up and smiled at the dark tom.

"Interesting," she remarked. When she realized Tigerstar's haunches were still raised, ready for a counterattack, she added, "You can put your claws away, I won't hurt you."

"Tch!" Tigerstar scoffed, disgusted by the mere suggestion. "Tired already, flea bag?" The she-cat chuckled.

"You toms, always so eager to unsheathe your claws," she muttered with contempt. Tigerstar found himself at a loss for words. He squinted at the thick pelted she-cat, trying to decide whether or not she was making fun of him, or just crazy.

"Who are you?" he repeated finally.

"Mapleshade," she smiled, showing a row of yellow teeth, Tigerstar inwardly revolted at. The she-cat crouched and began stretching her hind paws. "Now tell me, where is the StarClan scrap?"

"In StarClan at the moment," he retorted, with a bit of hesitance. She clearly knew more than he did, which he didn't like. He knew meeting Nightkit's was an opportunity, and one he couldn't afford to have his mangy cat steal from under him.

"Then you carry the power," she purred. "I'm almost envious."

"What are you talking about?"

"It isn't here, but still our paths crossed," Mapleshade said impatiently. "It's power is with you and will be for a while. But you can make it stay forever. Would you like to know how?"


	6. Chapter 6

"You kill her," Mapleshade whispered, her lips curling in delight. Tigerstar raised an eyebrow before bursting into laughter, his amusement echoing throughout the lonely woods.

"Kill? A StarClan cat?" he cried, an edge of spite in his voice. "How can you kill what isn't living?" Mapleshade's eyes narrowed.

"You wouldn't have been the first to have done it," she muttered in reply. "How do you think I know all this? Why do you think you found me when we've never met?"

Tigerstar scoffed and started to walk away. He'd had enough of his crazy she-cat, and her wild tales, and her smelly breath. He headed back towards the trees, hoping to be rid of her. Just before he could pad out of earshot, she called out to him.

"What was your mentor's name again?" she started. "Thistleclaw?" Tigerstar froze, his eyes narrowing. Mapleshade flashed a conniving smile. "Yes, he used to come here quite often. Of course, you must have been just an apprentice then," she teased. "Why, just a while ago, I had quite a nice talk with him about how you were brought down by a measly, little kitten." She emphasized the last words so that every syllable was like a claw in his pelt.

The ShadowClan leader gritted his teeth as his shoulders tensed up. Mapleshade stalked up to him and brushed her tail against his shoulder. She had his full attention now, and she knew it.

"He was very disappointed in you, you know?" she mocked. "Very, very—" She was cut off as Tigerstar pinned her against the ground with a single swift motion. "Yes!" she shouted. "Just like that! Tear out her pretty little kitty fluff with your claws!"

Tigerstar stared at the deranged she for a long moment before letting her up. Mapleshade seemed to look slightly disappointed at his, but she pulled herself to her paws nonetheless.

"If I don't?" Tigerstar asked. Mapleshade raised an eyebrow.

"Well I suppose you could wait for her to fade," she said. "But who knows when that'll happen? It probably won't even happen here." She paused for a moment. "Don't tell me you actually like her?" she spat. "Think! You could be throwing away the biggest opportunity you've ever had! Where's your ambition? Or did the kitty tear that out along with your insides?"

"Enough!" Tigerstar roared. "When the time comes, she will die under these trees. I'll make sure of it."

[BC]...

"Nightkit!" Mistkit shouted. "Hurry, hurry! Everyone's gathered above the Fourtrees!"

Nightkit perked her ears as she headed her sister's cry. The StarClan leaders had been murmuring among themselves for moons now. There were talks of leaving the forest, spreading like fire, to everyone in Silverpelt. Leopardfoot had told to their of them not to worry. The forest was the clan's ancient home after all. It would be nonsense to think they would ever leave it.

"What are they saying?" Nightkit cried.

"I don't know!" her sister purred. "Come on, Mosskit's already there!"

The two raced through the sky until they came to where the clouds were thin. Below, they could clearly see the famous four great oaks, under which the clan's had been born. But there was something different this time.

"What happened to the trees?!" Nightkit exclaimed. "Why are they are broken?"

"They're dead." Nightkit spun around to find Swiftpaw.

The black and white tom had his ears flattened as he stared at the scene in horror. Nightkit twitched her tail uncomfortably. She'd never seen him act this way before. Swiftpaw had always been filled with too much boisterous confidence for his own good.

"Did they really do this?" Nightkit cried. "But the trees have been there for as long as any cat can remember!"

"And now we'll watch the twolegs tear them down," he murmured quietly. "In a few sunrises, there'll be nothing left."

"No way!" Mistkit protested in disbelief.

"Look around you," Swiftpaw insisted. "There's no prey left in the forest, and pretty soon there won't be any trees. The twolegs will tear up each of our camps—"

"Stop it!" Nightkit shouted. She shook her head, unable to listen anymore. They couldn't leave the forest. This was their home? Couldn't the StarClan leaders do something. Surely the first 'stars' could at least—

"Mosskit!" Mistkit cried, interrupting her sister's thoughts. Nightkit turned and spotted her friend squeezing between the pelts of two WindClan warriors.

"I heard it!" she squeaked. "Bluestar said the clans were going to leave!"

"Are you sure?" Mistkit asked. Mosskit nodded, her eyes big with worry.

"All the leaders agreed! I was there!" she insisted. "What are we going to do?"

"When are we leaving?" Nightkit demanded.

"T-tomorrow," Mosskit stammered. "Once the sun rises." She pointed her tail into the distance. Towards the sundrown place."

Nightkit hung her head in despair and wrapped her tail around her paws, forcing a smile a bit as Mistkit padded over to comfort her.

"We'll be okay."

[BC]...

"This forest stretches as infinitely as StarClan," Tigerstar assured her. "If clans head towards the sunset, then I shall as well."

Nightkit had managed to slip away to the Place of No Stars, as the cats gathered around the Fourtrees had started to settled. Bluestar had come forth and announced what Mosskit had already told them, that the clans were to leave the forest come sunrise.

"But what if I never see you again?" she cried.

"That won't happen," he assured her. "Wherever you go, I'll find you." Nightkit nodded half-heartedly as Tigerstar stared off into the trees. "Now, for tonight's lesson—"

"I'm not really in the mood," Nightkit muttered.

"But this exercise is very simple," he insisted. "There is a foreign scent in the air."

Nightkit pricked her ears, tasting the air for what Tigerstar was referring to. She could detect another scent besides there's, but it was muddled among the forest's ever present dampness.

She turned to face the trees behind them, where she could seek the outlined figure of something not much bigger than herself, shuffling behind a bush. There was a rustling in the leaves as whatever it was realized it had been spotted.

Nightkit plunged after it, her moons of training with Tigerstar having had strengthened her hind legs, if only a little, allowing her to quickly catch up to their spy. She unsheathed her claws and pounced on the figure, her paws slipping on its fluffy gray pelt as she landed.

"Mistkit?!" she cried, as her sister squirmed beneath her paws. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?!" she shouted back. "This is the Place—" She trailed off and flattened her ears in terror as Tigerstar slowly padded up to them. "Is that..."

"He's not so bad, I promise," Nightkit insisted. "He's teaching me how to become a warrior and—"

"He's hurt cats!" Mistkit wailed, fighting under her sister's grip. "He hurt all of ThunderClan!"

"Have I hurt your sister?" Tigerstar asked, solemnly. His eyes calm and expressionless as he spoke. Mistkit was unsure of what to say. "And have I hurt you?" She slowly shook her head. "Then what are you afraid of?"

Mistkit was silent. Nightkit brightened a little as she felt her sister relax. "See?"

"Okay," Mistkit muttered. Nightkit smiled and loosened her grip. Mistkit slowly got to her feet before bolting towards the edge of the withered forest.

"It's fine," Tigerstar assured her, as they watched Mistkit run off. "You should get back to StarClan as well. Once the clans are settled, come find me. I won't be far."

"I just wish she could see," Nightkit murmured, partly to herself. "I better go." Tigerstar nodded.

"But before you do," he leapt up onto a tree branch and looked down at her. "Nightkit, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and all it stands for?"

"I do," she breathed, the realization of what was happening causing her paws to tingle with new energy.

"Then, by my own power and authority, I grant you your warrior name," Tigerstar declared. "Nightkit, from this moment forth, you will be known as Nightbreeze!"

"Nightbreeze," she breathed. Though there were no cats to cheer her name, Tigerstar's voice echoed like a chorus in her ears.

"You are now a full warrior of StarClan," he finished, leaping down from the tree.

"TigerClan," Nightbreeze corrected. "This isn't StarClan, and you've taught me everything."

Tigerstar looked down at her for a look moment. As usual, his expression made it impossible for her to tell exactly what he was thinking.

"Take care of yourself on the journey," he said, finally. "And watch over Goldenflower."


	7. Chapter 7

As per Bluestar's decree, the whole of StarClan set off at sunset, watching as the clans below them departed from the Fourtrees. Nightkit padded alongside Leopardfoot while her sister followed quietly from behind. The two had not spoken a word to the other since the night before. Nightkit, though disappointed, was only relieved that she didn't rat her out to Leopardfoot.

Nightkit looked around her, where WindClan warriors walked beside RiverClan warriors from different lifetimes. Most of the faces were ones she didn't recognize though she'd been in StarClan for many moons. She looked over at Mistkit, but her sister simply hung her head as she continued along behind their mother.

"What kind of place will we be going?" Nightkit asked.

"You'll see when we get there," Leopardfoot replied with a smile.

"Will there be pine trees?" she asked.

"Maybe," her mother chuckled. "But when did you develop such a fondness for pines? You used to say their nettles made your pelt itch."

Nightkit shrugged. "I like the look of them, is all."

The continued walking until sunhigh, when the stopped at a riverbed. RiverClan taking the opportunity to indulge themselves while the rest of the clan shared tongues.

"I can barely see the other bank," Nightkit cried in awe. "Do you want to see if Mosskit's around?" she ask, hoping her sister would finally stop giving her the silent treatment.

"Later," Mistkit mumbled.

Nightkit sighed and headed towards the river, walking along the bank until she spotted Mosskit dabbing her paw into the river, Stonefur seated beside her.

"Hey, Mosskit—" she cried, but was cut off as a horde of RiverClan apprentices stampede towards her.

"Out of the way!" one of them shouted, brushing along Nightkit's flank and causing her to lose balance. But rather than lean against her fall as she usually did, she put all her weight onto her forepaws, doing a little roll that landed her on her feet.

A tingle of excitement rushed through her as she realized what she'd done. She wiggled her tail in the air a bit as she pranced over to Mosskit and Stonefur.

"I did it!" she cried, bouncing up and down. "I didn't get wet. Did you see?"

"You curled up like a hedgehog," Stonefur chuckled. Nightkit wasn't sure whether or not he was just teasing her, but she was too happy to care.

"Stonefur was teaching me to catch a fish," Mosskit reported. "Want to try it? They're squirming all over the place."

Nightkit nodded eagerly, still feeling a rush of invincibility after her unlikely feat. She sat beside the water, careful to keep her shadow off the ripple as Mosskit instructed her.

She aimed a mouse length ahead of the fish and managed to give it a quick pat before it darted away. Nightkit grimaced at the slimy feeling the fish's scales had given her paw.

"Ew..." she muttered.

"Are you sure you don't want one?" Stonefur asked, hooking a flailing crap onto the grass. "They're really good."

Nightkit cringed and shook her head. "I'll stick to mice, I think."

"Next time?" Mosskit asked, as she took a mouthful.

"Sure," she replied with a nervous chuckle. She wiped her paw on the grass before quickly scrambling away.

Below the clouds were a mass of snowy peaks. The clans had stopped to rest among a strange tribe of rogues, and were beginning to settle down for the night. Nightkit peered down to watch, spotting a familiar ginger tom.

The leader of ThunderClan had been a wild topic for many moons in StarClan. Though the fuss had begun to die down, Nightkit still had great respect for the ThunderClan leader. He had helped her clan and all the others many times. He helped chase out Brokenstar and feed RiverClan, brought WindClan back and saved ThunderClan during the fire.

She let out a deep sigh, thinking about how amazing it would be to do something great like that. Her gazed shifted throughout the crowd of faces, but only recognized a pawful of the ThunderClan warriors. Among them was Goldenflower, a familiar dark brown tabby at her side.

Nightkit's eyes widened in shock for a moment before noting the tabby's slighter frame. She let out an irritated sniff before dipping her nose into the cloud. She appeared inside a cave beside the rest of her clanmates, all of them shuffling around, failing to notice her, a few even phasing through her.

After shaking off the tingles of the tabby tom stepping through her tail, she padded up to Goldenflower and touched noses with her, stepping away when the scene around them shifted.

They were back the Fourtrees, snow falling gently around them. Goldenflower opened her eyes and after looking slightly confused at her surroundings, quickly spotted her.

"Hello, there," she said, giving her a warm smile. "Are you lost?" Nightkit shook her head.

"This is a dream," she explained.

"I see," Goldenflower murmured. "So you're from StarClan." Nightkit nodded.

Goldenflower looked up at the four towering oaks, and took in a long breath. "Thank you for showing me this. I didn't think I'd ever see them again." Nightkit nodded again, unsure of what to say. She had chosen to see Goldenflower on whim, and hadn't given thought to what she would do when they met.

"Do you have a prophecy?" Goldenflower coaxed. "I think Cinderpelt would be better for this kind of thing, but I'll do my best. As long you promise not to make it too cryptic," she added jokingly.

"Tigerstar says hi," Nightkit squeaked finally. There was a long moment of silence between the two.

"I see," Goldenflower replied, looking slightly surprised. "Is he with you? In StarClan, I mean?" Nightkit shook her head.

"But you've spoken to him?" Nightkit nodded. "How is he?"

"Are you mad at him?" Nightkit asked before adding in a hurry. "Everyone seems to be upset at him, but he's always really nice to me. He taught me to hunt, and climb trees... why does everyone hate him?"

"I don't know," Goldenflower sighed, laying down on a tuft of fluffy powder.

"So you're not mad?" Nightkit mumbled. Goldenflower shook her head.

"I'm not mad."

Nightkit heaved a sigh of relief. "I haven't known him for that long, but I know he's a good cat. When I first met him, he seemed kind of... well sad I guess."

"Sad?"

"The place he's in, it's outside StarClan. The trees don't have leaves and there's never a sun or moon. When I'm not there, I don't think he can even see other cats."

"He has too much pride to say what he's feeling," Goldenflower reflected. "He knows only how to lash out at what angers him. He's not the type of cat who would ask for help." She tilted her head. "If he was in the place you described, why did you seek him out?"

"I wanted to meet him," Nightkit explained. "I'm his sister."

Goldenflower stared down at her in shock before softening her gaze. "I remember. Leopardfoot gave birth to three."

Nightkit nodded. "You're the last one," she whispered.

"Last one?"

"The last cat who will remember me," she explained. "After that... I won't be in StarClan anymore."

"Where will you go?" the golden she-cat asked, her voice heavy with concern.

"I don't know," she replied, her voice shaking a bit despite herself. "Nowhere, I guess. But that's why I want to make sure, that when I'm gone, he isn't alone again," she declared. "Would you go see him?"

Goldenflower didn't respond, but her pitying eyes told Nightkit all she needed to know. She gave a weak smile. "That's okay," she muttered.

Goldenflower padded up to Nightkit and pressed her pelt against her's. Her fur smelled of snow and fresh-kill. Nightkit buried her nose in it and began to sniffle quietly as a light stream of tears dripped down her cheeks.


	8. Chapter 8

After several sunrises of travel, the clans arrived at a lake surrounded by forests. The warriors of StarClan, along with their living counterparts began excitedly exploring the new territory. Nightkit was forced to stay close to Leopardfoot, who after leaving the forest, had been extra attentive of her twooffspring. Wherever they went, Nightkit kept an eye out for pines.

Like before, they seemed sprinkled above what the living declared to be ShadowClan territory. Nightkit's tail twitched irritably. The trees looked quite ordinary. However long they searched the territories, she couldn't find any place that resembled the mist forests of the Place of No Stars.

After several sunrises, Leopardfoot settled on a batch of nettles in the oak forest. Nightkit lay to rest beside her sister, who had barely said a word since they'd left the forest. Her paws itched to look for Tigerstar, but she somehow felt slightly guilty doing so while knowing her sister's feelings on the matter.

"He's really not so bad," she murmured, after Leopardfoot had gone out hunting. "What do you even think he did?

"I don't know," Mistkit muttered, "But if we wasn't a bad guy, why isn't he in StarClan?" Nightkit clenched her teeth slightly.

"I don't know," she admitted. "But he's never treated me badly, and I want you to like him too. He's our littermate. We should be friends." Mistkit was silent.

"Why are you so afraid?" Nightkit pressed.

"Why are you so gullible?"

"Please Mistkit!" Nightkit begged. "I don't want it to be like I'm seeing him behind your back."

"Weren't you doing that anyways?" she pointed out. "Do what you want? I don't care." Nightkit turned away, swinging her tail mournfully as she padded into the forest.

She wandered aimlessly for a while, veering off the main path, hoping she could find some hidden area still left unturned. Wherever she went, she could only ever detect the smell of fresh nettles, rather than the forest's sour fog. She hoped they hadn't really left the forest behind them.

Once she left the pine forest, she spotted warriors beginning to settle underneath the trees, building nests and holding bits of prey in their jaws. The ground under her became soft and squishy. Tiny streams weaved through the dirt in several places. She walked across the odd ground, eventually coming to a wall of brambles hanging from the trees. Creeping between the gaps in the thorns, was familiar mist.

Despite their prickly appearance, the brambles were dried and stale, crumbling easily after a few paw swipes. After she had created a small hole in the thicket, she crawled through, smiling as she spotted the field of gray trunks.

"Tigerstar?" she called, as she galloped through the woods. It seemed to look a bit different than she remembered, but this was definitely the place.

"How was your journey?" he replied.

"Looonnnggg!" she stretched. "But I wish you could have seen me! I did exactly what you taught me; use what I have to my advantage," she recited.

"One of the RiverClan apprentices came at me, but instead of falling, I—" she stopped and demonstrated by taking a forwards tumble. "See?"

Tigerstar let out a huff of amusement. "How clever of you." Nightbreeze beamed.

"So do we train tonight?" she asked.

"Not tonight," he replied, gruffly. He picked her up by the scuff and positioned her behind a tree. "But before you leave, there's a matter I've been meaning to see to," he said. "Don't move or speak until we're alone."

"Ok," Nightbreeze mewed, wondering who he was planning to see.

Tigerstar sat beside a muddy puddle and dipped his nose into it. A few moments later, a pair of tabbies appeared before him, both asleep. Nightbreeze's ears pricked as she recognized the tom who had been with Goldenflower. The one beside him dark gray pelt with a white belly and icy eyes. Both seemed to eerily resemble Tigerstar. Nightbreeze couldn't make out all that was said, but the three seemed familiar with each other.

After a while, they stepped apart, the two young toms standing several tail lengths opposite one another while Tigerstar sat between them, his tail laid neatly over his paws. The two toms suddenly unsheathed their claws and leapt towards one another, letting out hisses of fury. Each grabbed the other by the shoulder until the brown tom pinned his opponent to the ground, giving his pelt a small nick.

"You managed to overpower, Hawkfrost, but your form still needs work, Brambleclaw," Tigerstar assessed.

Brambleclaw dipped his head, his face held a familiar unreadable expression. The two continued to spar for the rest of the evening before laying back down and vanishing just before sunrise.

Nightbreeze stepped out from behind the tree. "You had kits?!" she cried.

"Yes," he replied, dryly. "Is that strange?" Nightbreeze shook her head, her expression brimming with pleasure. Tigerstar rolled his eyes.

"That's all for tonight," he announced.

"Okay," Nightbreeze meowed. "Are you going to see them again tomorrow?"

"If you return."

"Of course," she purred. His sons at least seemed to appreciate him like she did. If she could do nothing else for him, Nightbreeze would make sure, at least, Tigerstar could have their company.

[BC]...

The next few moons passed mostly uneventfully. Once the clans were fully settled, Goldenflower retired into the elders' den. Nightbreeze and Tigerstar no longer trained as frequently as they used to, but she didn't mind. She enjoyed watching Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost from behind the trees. Brambleclaw always seemed a bit more reluctant to unsheathed his claws, while Hawkfrost was always glancing at his father for approval. They both seemed strong and dedicated warriors who would serve their clans well.

Once leafbare had turned to newleaf, she returned to an unexpected sight, Hawkfrost's glistening blue eyes greeting her as she entered the forest. She shifted her paws, unsure of whether or not to try and hide. She relaxed when she noticed Tigerstar step out from behind him.

"Where's Brambleclaw?" Nightbreeze asked. "Is he okay?"

"He will no longer be joining us," Tigerstar said. Curiosity pricked Nightbreeze's whiskers, and she couldn't help but notice Hawkfrost's tail start to lash as soon as she had mentioned Brambleclaw's name.


	9. Chapter 9

It happened quietly. Nightkit didn't even realize it until she awoke to find her body nearly transparent. She rose to her paws and spent several long moments starting at the grass through her paws. Its flatten form the little evidence she was there at all. She turned to her sister and quickly shook her awake, feeling the cold shard of urgency building up in her throat.

[I]The Elders.

"Mistkit!" Her sister slowly opened her eyes, only to widened them once she got a good look at her littermate.

They stared at each other with narrowed gazes, each close to tears, when Nightkit suddenly felt a gently swipe behind her back. Leopardfoot wrapped her tail around her kits, and held them close. Without opening her eyes, without saying a word. Nightkit closed her own eyes, feeling barely comforted by her mother's embrace.

Leopardfoot would not leave their side after that, and asked Patchpelt instead, to bring back their fresh kill. Nightkit wondered how much longer she would be able to feel her mother's fur, or hear Mistkit's purr in the morning. There were still many things she wished to do. Things she couldn't do even if she had a hundred seasons time.

That night they were greeted by a pretty dark tortoiseshell holding a stash of leaves between her jaws. Nightkit smiled a little for the first time that day. It had been several seasons since she had seen the elusive ThunderClan medicine cat.

"How is she?" Leopardfoot asked.

"Fine for now," Spottedleaf replied. "But she doesn't have much time left."

"Keep her alive," Leopardfoot pleaded. "Please."

"When a cat's time comes, it comes," Spottedleaf said. "StarClan can't change that. All we can do is watch over them." Leopardfoot stared at the ThunderClan medicine cat, her tearful eyes filled with rage. She seemed as if she was just about ready to launch herself at the dappled she-cat.

"I'm sorry." Spottedleaf started to walk away when Nightkit stopped her, resting gentle paw on the tip of her tail.

"Spottedleaf?" she started hesitantly. " Last time we met, near those foggy trees, you said that even ShadowClan cats were scared of it," she said. "But StarClan cats can't get hurt or killed, so why is it so scary?"

Spottedleaf held her gaze for a long moment, and Nightkit could see the thoughts wrestling in her eyes. Finally she replied, "That's nothing for a kit to worry about." There was strange coldness to her voice Nightkit chose to ignore.

"What happened? Please tell me!" Spottedleaf smiled down at her. Nightkit pursed her lips, annoyed at the pitying look in her eyes.

"You've been in StarClan a long time," she said finally. "You're not really a kit anymore are you?" Nightkit held her gaze with narrowed eyes.

"I've only heard the stories from the others," Spottedleaf whispered. "It happened long before my time, but they say that a tom and three kits once wandered into the forest, and were discovered slain not long after," she said. "As StarClan cats, we have abilities that our living brethren do not. We can walk in their dreams and warn them of their future. This is something, perhaps unique to we alone."

"And when we die?" Nightkit murmured.

"When we die those abilities transfer back to Silverpelt," she said. "But when he die outside of StarClan, they will likely go to those of looser moral character."

[BC]...

On the night of Goldenflower's death, Nightkit sat beside her sister, her belts pressed against her, Leopardfoot stand over them, gently licking their ears. It had been nearly a quarter moon since she'd visited Tigerstar, but if she didn't break away now, she would lose her chance. She wanted so much to spend her last moments with Mistkit and her mother, but Tigerstar needed her more.

"I have to go," Nightkit muttered.

"What?" Mistkit turned towards her sister with horror in her eyes. Leopardfoot stopped her grooming and pulled away for a moment.

Before anyone could stop her, Nightkit broke away from her mother's grip and darted down the path towards the marshes. She could hear her sister and Leopardfoot running after her. She shut her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks as she charged forward, running faster than she ever had before. She her paws weight down heavily, so that she felt every step against the forest floor.

"Tigerstar!" she shouted, as she plunged past the bramble wall. She felt slightly light headed as she fought her breath. Tigerstar's brow pricked in surprised when he saw her.

"You're —"

"I'm fading!" she cried. "Goldenflower... she doesn't have much time. She'll be in StarClan soon."

As the weight of her breath lightened, a million different words whirled in Nightbreeze's head. She had so much left to say. She wanted to ask how Hawkfrost was. What had happened between he and Brambleclaw? Did he still wish he could see Leopardfoot?

"What are you doing here?" Tigerstar asked. "You should be with Leopardfoot and your sister." Nightbreeze shook her head.

"I want you to be the one to see me fade," she said, a fond smile coming to her face. "If I fade here, maybe a little bit of me will stay with you! Then you won't have to be alone anyone. You could see Hawkfrost every night, and Brambleclaw too!"

"Nightkit!"

Nightbreeze flinched at the sound of her name.

"Nightkit, come back," Spottedleaf warned. "You don't know what he's capable of! The lies, the manipulation. Your mother and sister are waiting for you!" Nightbreeze shook her head violently, her chest tightening with grief.

"This is where I'm needed," she declared. "I've been training here for many seasons. Tigerstar has done so much for me. He taught me to become a warrior!" she said, glancing fondly at her brother.

"In the end, I couldn't fight any great battles or catch a ton of prey, but training with him made me happy." She gave a weak smile, before turning back to Spottedleaf. "Before I leave, I want to do something that will make him happy."

"But what about your family?!" Spottedleaf shouted. "Your real family?"

"Leopardfoot has Patchpelt," Nightbreeze said. "And you. Please visit her more often."

Spottedleaf shook her head. "Whatever Tigerstar told you was a lie! He's just using you to—" She paused.

"To what?" Tigerstar pressed. "If you have something to say, Spottedleaf, please share."

Spottedleaf narrows her eyes, but said nothing. Nightbreeze gave a grateful smile, before a tremor ran through her body. She felt the breath being stolen from her body as one of her paws vanished from view completely.

In a choked panic she unsheathed her remaining claws and started tearing at the ground beneath her. Her right side made no mark, though she could still feel its presence in her shoulder.

"I'm afraid! I don't want to die!" she screamed. "I want to live! I want to be with you, and Mistkit and Leopardfoot!"

"But you are going to die," Tigerstar said, coldly. "No matter what you say, you will die. So die a warrior." Nightbreeze paused a moment in her frenzy as she listened to Tigerstar continue.

"Never be afraid," he reminded her. "Warriors are never afraid." Nightbreeze nodded.

She looked up at Tigerstar curling her lips into a smile, before finally fading in a toothy grin.


End file.
